Travellers arriving in Scotland from Italy face quarantine from Sunday – but Greece is taken off list

Italy, San Marino and Vatican City State have lost their exemptions from the UK’s quarantine requirements for international arrivals – meaning travellers arriving in Scotland from all three destinations will be required to quarantine for 14 days.

This is due to significant increases in the number of cases testing positive for Coronavirus (Covid-19) as well as the increased number of cases in these areas, and the new rules will come into force from 4am Sunday (October 18).

Meanwhile those arriving from mainland Greece and the Greek islands, except Mykonos, will no longer need to quarantine due to the low number of cases. The change is also effective from Sunday.

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Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: "Lifting quarantine restrictions on those travelling from most of Greece, in line with the public health data we have received, is not a signal that it is safe to book foreign travel. All travel carries a risk and people should think long and hard before choosing to go abroad.

Italy loses quarantine exemption status.Italy loses quarantine exemption status.
Italy loses quarantine exemption status.

“It is vital that we suppress the spread of the virus in Scotland and imposing quarantine restrictions on those arriving in the UK is our first line of defence in managing the risk of importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission.

“We are continuing to have regular discussions with the other three governments in the UK.”

Wherever somebody has travelled from – whether an exempt country or not – it remains a legal requirement to complete a Passenger Locator Form and provide it to Border Force officials. Failure to do so can also result in a fine since this, along with any failure to self-isolate where required, poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland.

Italy recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with 7,332.

This brings its seven-day rate of cases per 100,000 people to 64.

The UK’s case rate currently stands at 166.

The removal of Italy’s exemption is a further blow to the UK’s travel industry, as it was one of its last big markets without a quarantine requirement for returning holidaymakers.

Last week Italy introduced compulsory coronavirus testing for arriving UK visitors.

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